Speed-controlled circuit closer



Nov. 15,1921- 1,649,762 M. J. VOGEL ET AL SPEED CONTROLLED CIRCUIT CLOSER F1168? Sept. 23, 1924 INVENTOR j mlorfon J Uoyd BY Jacob J3. rims/ 1 Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

IOBTON .J'. VOGEL AND JACOB B. GBINOCH, OF YORK, N. Y. V

SPEED-CONTROLLED CIRCUIT CLOSER.

Application filed September 23, 1924, serial No. 739,286.

This invention relates generally to speed limit signal devices intended more particularly for application to automobiles to give inadvertent exceeding of any selected maximum. speed. 7

The. invention hasfor, an object the provision of a novel and simple device of this sort Whichmay be readily set to operate at any desired speed. p

For further comprehension of the invention, and of. the objects and advantages thereof, reference will behad to thefollow ing description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are.

more particularly set forth.

Fig. l of the drawing is aface viewshowing my improved speed limit signal device combined with aspeedometer.

Fig. 2 is a front view er the device with the casing removed from the adjustment shaft being shown in transverse section.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view takenon the line.33of Fig. 2. y

Fig. 4'isa horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2. 4 v

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical'sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3 and illustrating more particularly the construction of the look.

In the drawing the reference numeral .10 indicates the ordinary main frame bracket of a combined'speedometer and odometer. On this bracketis mounted the usual oscillatory speed indicating drum 12 having suitable numbers on its perimeter, and the usual mileage indicating wheels or drums 13 also having suit-ablenumbers on their perimeters, these parts being adapted for operation by a flexible shaft, not shown, that is connected to one of the wheels in the ordinary manner. Fixed co-axially to the drum 12, and extending radially over the top end thereof, is a finger 15, which, as will be apparent, oscillates as the speedof the automobile varies, this finger serving as the medium through which electrical contact is made with an adjustable element to close the circuit to the signal when the given speed is attained or exceeded.

Fixed to the frame 10 and electrically insulated therefrom as at 18, is an upwardly extending yoke-shaped bracket 19, which is here shown as formed by the angular legs 19 that are attached at their upper ends to opposite sides of .a bearing block 19 being secured to the latter by a bolt 20. This bracket 19 might be constructed of a single casting if desired. The bracket 19 is formed on its lower end with outturned feet 21 that rest on the frame 10 and are secured to the latter by screws 22 taking through suitable apertures in the said feet and screwed into threaded sockets in the frame. The bearing block l9 has mounted therein a horizontal shaft23 that extends from front to rear of the device and has a bevel gear 24 fixed to its rear or inner end, the opposite, or front, end of the shaft extending through the front of the face plate or casing element 25 that supports the frame 10.

The gear 24 meshes with a ring-gear 27 that is supported by the bearing block 19 and has fixed thereto, and projecting-downwardly therefrom, a. finger 28 that has a horizontally projectedlowerend portion 28, this lower end portionextending radially inward. Suitably journaled in the block 19, co-axia-lly of the gear 27, and projecting downward from-the bottom face of the block, is a spindle 30 to which islfixed an arm 31 having a downturned end portion 31 that normally rests againstthe inturned end portion 28 of the finger 28, being retained in such position by means of alight spring 32, such as the hair spring of a watch, that is attached at one'end to the block 19 and at its other end to the said spindle 30. The downturned end portion 31 0f the arm 31 extends into the path of movement of the finger 15 attached to the speed indicating drum 12. l

To permit of the finger 28 being locked in any desired adjusted position the outer end of the shaft 23 is rigidly attached to an enlarged head 35 that is rotatably mounted in a barrel or cylinder 36 fixed to the casing element 25. In the head 35 are a number of apertures 37 that extend parallel to the axis of the shaft 23. In these apertures are slidably mounted the plunger pins 38 that have outturned inner ends 39. These inner ends engage in notches or serrations 40 in one radial wall of a recess 41 formed in the barrel 36, being retained in this position by means of an expansion spring 42 coiled around the shaft 23 and bearing on the inner ends of the pins. The other radial wall of the recess is likewise formed with serrations or notches 43 complementary to the serrations 40, the two walls being spaced apart just sufficient distance to allow the members 39 to move therebetween. When a suitable key is inserted in the apertures 37 the end elements 39 of the pins 38 are moved into registry with the space between the two series of serrations or notches in the recess &1, permitting the head 35, and with it the shaft 23, to be rotated to adjust the linger 28. The cylinder 36 is formed with a disklike flange 45 that may have a series of numbers marked thereon, while the head is formed with a projecting pointer lii adapted to be brought into registry wit-h a selected one of these numbers, the parts being so arranged that the arm 15 engages the part 31 and so closes the circuit to a signal element when'the speed reaches the point to which the pointer is set.

The signal means may comprise both a bell and a light which receive current from a battery 52. *The feed wires and 54 are grounded respectively to the frame 10 and the bracket 19 which, as above pointed out, are insulated from one another, and it will be obvious that when the parts 15 and 31 contact with one another the circuit through the signals will be closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows 1. In a device of the class described having an oscillatory speed indicating drum with a contact finger mounted thereon, the combination of a frame mounted above said drum, a bearing block supported by said frame,a horizontal shaft rotatable in said bearing block, a bevel gear fixed on one end of said shaft, another bevel gear rotatably supported, and meshing with said bevel gear, a downwardly projecting finger depending from said latter bevel gear, a spindle co-axially supported in said latter bevel gear, a contact arm fixed to the lower end of said spindle, said contact arm being in the path of motion of said contact finger, a spring coacting between. said spindle and latter mentioned bevel gear, normally urging said contact arm to abut against said downwardly projecting finger, and means for locking said horizontal shaftin angularly adjusted positions.

2. In a device of the class described having an oscillatory speed indicating drum with a contact finger mounted thereon, the combination of a frame mounted above said drum, a bearing block supported by said frame, a horizontal shaft rotatable in said bearing block, a bevel gear fixed on one end of said shaft, another bevel gear rotatably supported, and meshing with said bevel gear, a downwardly projecting finger depending from said latter bevel gear, a s indle co-axially supported in said latter Eevel gear, a contact arm fixed to the lower end of said spindle, said contact arm being in the path of motion of said contact finger, a spring coacting between said spindle and latter mentioned bevel gear, normally urging said contact arm to abut against said downwardly projecting finger, means for locking said horizontal shaft in angularly ad'usted positions, and means for indicating t e relative adjusted positions of said horizontal shaft, said locking means and indicatin means being connected with the end of said shaft re mote from the attached bevel gear.

3. In a device of the class described, having an oscillatory speed indicating drum with a contact finger mounted thereon, and an angularly adjustable gear mounted above said drum, the combination of a downwardly projecting finger depending from said gear, a spindle co-axially supported in said gear, a contact arm fixed to the lower end of said spindle, said contact arm being in the path of motion of said contact finger, and a spring co-acting between said spindle and gear, normally urging said contact arm to abut against said downwardly projectin finger.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures.

MORTON J. VOGEL. JACOB B. GRINOCH. 

